Selective frequency sound reproducer of the sound on film type



Feb. 6, 1951 w. w. PHILLIPS SELECTIVE FREQUENCY SOUND REPRODUCER OF THE SOUND ON FILM TYPE Filed Dec. 14, 1948 2 Sheefcs-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. W/LL MM w. PH/LL/As,

ATTOE/VEYS.

Feb. 6, 1951 w. w. PHILLIPS SELECTIVE FREQUENCY SOUND REPRODUCER OF THE SOUND 0N FILM TYPE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 14, 1948 INVENTOR. W/LL/AM 14 PH/LL/PS,

ATTOe/VEYS.

l atented Feb. 6, i95l UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE SELECTIVE FREQUENCY SOUND REPRO- DUCER OF THE SOUND ON FILM TYPE William W. Phillips, Baltimore, Md.

Application December 14, 1948, Serial No. 65,235

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to electronic musical instruments, and more particularly to an instrument of the electronic organ type which is capable of selectively reproducing the recorded tones of any frequency or note desired by the player, not only of organ pipes but of the piano, the violin, the human voice, or of any other tone-producing instrumentality which can be recorded on a sound track.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved electronic musical instrument which is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, and easy to play, said instrument having conventional keyboard operating means and being arranged so that the tones of one or more individual musical instruments may be selectively produced, as desired by the operator, or combinations of tones of different instruments may be simultaneously produced,

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved electronic musical instrument utilizing recorded tones of various instruments wherein the musical tones are recorded on sound track and wherein a conventional keyboard may be utilized to control the selection of tones to be reproduced, the instrument being very compact in size, reliable in operation and sturdy in construction.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a transverse verticalcross-sectional view taken through the upper portion of an electronic musical instrument constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of the sound track cylinde on which the various tones are recorded forming part of the electronic musical instrument of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a transverse cross-sectional .view showing a portion of the structure of Figure 1 and showing a tone selectin plate in elevated position.

Figure 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional detail view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 1, showing the tone characteristic selecting .gate in front elevation.

. Figure 5 is a, fragmentary perspective detail view showing the relative arrangement of parts of the tone selecting and tone characteristic selecting elements of the electronic musical instrument of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a front elevational detail view of a portion of the musical instrument ,of ,Figure v1,

showing the tone characteristics selecting plate and the manually operated selecting element cooperatin therewith.

Referring to the drawings, ll designates the cabinet of the instrument, said cabinet housing a suitable frame, indicated generally at l2, on which the various internal components of the instrument are supported.

Designated at I3 is a transparent cylinder having rigidly secured to one end thereof a gear M. Gear M is journaled to a bracket l5 secured in any suitable manner to frame l2. Gear It is held vertical by bracket l5, thereby supporting cylinder i3 so as to maintain said cylinder in a horizontal position for rotation around its axis. Secured to frame 12 in any suitable manner adjacent the opposite end of cylinder it is an elongated photo-electric cell l6 which project-s axially through substantially the entire length of drum l3. As shown in Figure 1, the cylinder l3 and the cell I 6 extend longitudinally of cabinet II and are located in the rear portion of said cabinet. The cathode of the cell, shown at If! extends axially of cylinder l6 and the semi-cylindrical anode thereof, designated at I8 faces forwardly. The photo-electric cell 16 is supported in a stationary position, while the cylinder i3 is rotatable about the axis definedby the elongated cathode l! of the cell.

Mounted on the frame L2 below the rotary cylinder i3 is a constant speed motor 9. The shaft of motor I9 is coupled through reduction gears shown at 2B, 2!, 22, 23, and 24 to the gear M of cylinder 13. The reduction gears are rotatively supported in any suitable manner within frame l2 so as to revolve around horizontal longitudinal axes and to transmit torque to gear It so as to rotate cylinder 13 at a constant rate.

Imprinted on the transparent cylinder 13 are a multiplicity of successive groups of constant width sound tracks, designated in Figure 2 at 25, 26, 2-1, etc. Each group comprises an equal number of individual sound tracks, such as are indicated at 25a to 25h, 25a, to 2th, etc. The sound tracks25a to 25h are recordings of the first note of the musical spectrum covered by the device, as played by different instruments. For example, the track 25a may be the recording of this first note as played by a flute organ stop, 2% may be the recording of the same note as played by an oboe, 25c maybe the recording of the same note as played by a reed organ stop, 25d may be the recording of the same note as played by a violin, etc. The sound track frequencies of the bands in group 26 all correspond to the next note in the musical spectrum,

but again, track 26a is the recording of a flute organ stop, 26b is the recording of an oboe, 250 is the recording of a reed organ, etc. Group 21 comprises corresponding individual recordings of the next note in the spectrum. There are 61 groups of sound tracks, corresponding to the 61 notes of a conventional organ manual.

Secured in any suitable manner inside the cabinet ll forwardly of and parallel to cylinder I3 is an elongated tubular lamp 28. Designated at 29 is an opaque shield member which is secured in cabinet ll rearwardly adjacent lamp 28. Shield member is formed with an elongated horizontal slit 3% lying in the same horizontal plane as cathode iii and the filament of lamp 28. Secured in cabinet 6 l rearwardly adjacent shield member 29 is the horizontal elongated cylindrical lens 35 positioned so as to focus the light emanating from slit 39 onto the sound tracks. Such light will pass through the sound tracks carried by the rotating cylinder E3 and will be modulated thereby, producing corresponding modulations of the photo-electric current generated in cell 16. The speed of rotation of cylinder i3 is such as to provide the same linear rate of movement of the sound tracks as was employed in recording the tracks, whereby the fluctuations in photoelectric current thus generated correspond exactly to the original sound frequencies. Cell [6 is connected to the input circuit of a suitable audio amplifier, not shown, the fluctuations in photo-electric current being coupled in a wellknown manner to the input grid of the amplifier to impress an audio signal thereon. The amplifier is connected to one or more loud speakers which reproduce the amplified sound track frequencies.

Manual selection of the tone group frequencies is obtained by means of vertically movable diaphragm elements 32 located rearwardly adjacent the cylindrical lens 32. There is one diaphragm element 32 for each tone group, a total of El diaphragm elements being therefore provided. The diaphragm elements 32 are preferably aligned in a common plane extending parallel to cylinder 53 and are slidably supported for vertical movement between parallel guide bars 33, 33 secured in any suitable manner within cabinet i i and located above the horizontal plane containing the cathode ll and the filament of lamp 28. Each diaphragm element 32 comprises a transparent plate having an opaque horizontal band at thereon. The lower end of each diaphragm element is pivotally connected to the inner end of a respective key lever 35, as shown at 36, said key lever being pivoted at its intermediate portion to the frame i2, as shown at 3i. The frame 52 is provided with an upstanding longitudinal rib 33 which underlies the inner end portions of the key lever 35. Connecting the inner ends of the key levers to the frame 12 are respective springs 39 which bias said inner ends downwardly into abutment with the rib 33. In the normal positions of the key levers 35, the opaque bands 3d carried on their associated diaphragm elements 32 block the passage of light from lens iii to cylinder l3. When the outer key portions of the key levers, shown at til, are degate 4| located between the diaphragms 32 and the cylinder i3. Tone gate ti comprises a longitudinally extending elongated vertical plate mem ber 52 corresponding in length to the cylinder 63 and parallel therewith. At its ends the plate member 42 is provided with vertical bar elements 43, 43 which are slidably received between upper and lower pairs of opposed guide brackets l i, t'd secured to the side walls of cabinet it. Designated at 35, 45 are respective adjusting levers having slotted ends t pivotally connected to the lower ends of the respective bars E3 by means of rivets 41. The levers A5 are pivoted at their intermediate portions to frame l2, as shown at 38, and extend forwardly to positions subadjacent the instrument keyboard, where they terminate in knobs 4-9. The forward portions of levers 45 pass through vertical slots 5t formed in a front panel 5i secured to frame l2. Secured to panel 5| in overlying relationship to the slots are respective vertically slotted plates 52 through which the levers Q5 pass. The slots in plates 52 are formed with a series of vertically spaced notches 53. By adjusting the levers it into interlocking engagement with corresponding respective notches 53 of the plates e2, the tone gate 4| may be locked in any one of a plurality of different positions of vertical adjustment.

The levers 4'5 are made of suitable material such as steel rod stock or the like, having sufficient flexibility to allow the forward portions of said levers to be flexed laterally when moving said levers from engagement from one notch 53 to another.

Referring now to Figures i and 5, it will be seen that the plate member 132 is formed with recurrent diagonally spaced groups of apertures, shown at 56a to 5th, 55a to 55h, 56a to 5th, etc. The lateral spacing of the apertures in each group is the same as the lateral spacing between the individual adjacent sound tracks in the respective groups 25, 2?, etc. on cylinder iii. The overall width of each group of apertures is the same as the width of the sound track groups. The vertical spacing between adjacent apertures corresponds to the vertical distance through which the plate member 62 is moved when the levers 45 are moved from engagement with one set of notches 53 into engagement with the next adjacent set of notches.

The apertures E ia to 5th are located so as to be in alignment with the sound tracks 25a to 25h respectively. The apertures 55a to are in alignment with sound tracks 26a to 2th respectively. There are 61 groups of apertures, each group having its apertures aligned with the sound tracks of a corresponding tonal group on cylinder l3. In addition to the individually aligned apertures such as E ia to 5th, each group of apertures may have sets of two or more apertures, such as 5&2 and 567', each aligned with an individual sound track and located in horizontal alignment.

By adjusting the levers 5 so as to engage corresponding notches 53 in the plates 52, a selected set of apertures of the tone characteris cs selecting gate ii may be brought into alig nt with the horizontal light beam produced lens 36. Therefore when the keys ill are depressed, the opaque bands 34 controlled by said keys will be raised from obstructing relation to the light beam, as shown in Figure 3, and the beam will impinge on the tone gate ii. Light will travel through those apertures of the tone gate which are in alignment with the light beam, whereby the light will be modulated by the particular sound tracks exposed byjhese apertures. The recorded tones represented by the exposed sound tracks will then be generated by the photo' ele'ctric cell [6. It will be seen from Figures 4 and 5, that exposure of the individual apertures, such as 54a to 55h, will result intones having a single tone quality, such as that of a solo flute organ, oboe, violin, etc. It will be further apparent that simultaneous exposure of plural apertures such as and 549', will result in mixed tones, such as a combination of organ and violin, oboe and violin, etc. Any desired number of plural arrangements of horizontally aligned apertures such as 541 and 54y may be provided in the grouped aperture arrangements of the tone gate.

It is therefore apparent that the device may be operated to provide tone either of a selected solo instrument or of a combination of instruments, and the selection of instrumental tone quality desired is made by adjustment of the levers 45 in the notches 53 of slotted plates 52. The device is otherwise played by depressing the keys 40 in accordance with the tone pitch required in the same manner employed in playing a piano or an organ.

While a specific embodiment of an electronic musical instrument has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an electronic musical instrument of the character described, a supporting frame, a horizontal elongated photoelectric cell secured to said frame, a transparent cylinder rotatably secured to said frame and surrounding said photoelectric cell, means for rotating said cylinder around its axis at constant speed, a plurality of longitudinally spaced groups of circumferential sound tracks carried on the surface of the cylinder, each group comprising individual recordings of a particular tone as played by various instruments, an elongated light source secured to the frame parallel to said cylinder, a plurality of vertical transparent diaphragm plates movably mounted side by side between said light source and said cylinder, each plate being aligned with a group of sound tracks and having an opaque horizontal band normally blocking the passage of light to its associated group of sound tracks, means for selectively moving said plates vertically so as to remove the opaque bands thereof out of light blocking relation with respect to the cell, and a vertically movable plate element interposed between the light source and the cylinder, said plate element being formed with identically shaped apertures aligned respectively with the respective sound tracks and being arranged in recurrent similar groupings, each grouping comprising a plurality of apertures, wherein the apertures are spaced vertically with respect to each other, each grouping being associated with a particular tonal group of sound tracks.

2. In an electronic musical instrument of the character described, a supporting frame, a horizontal elongated photoelectric cell secured to said frame, a transparent cylinder rotatably secured to said frame and surrounding said photoelectric cell, means for rotating said cylinder around its axis at constant speed, a plurality of longitudinally spaced groups of circumferential sound tracks carried on the surface of the cylinder, each group comprising individual solo recordings of a particular tone as played by different instruments, an elongated light sourcesecured to the frame parallel to said cylinder, a plurality of vertical transparent diaphragm plates movably mounted side by side between said light source and said cylinder, each plate being aligned with a particular tonal group of sound tracks and having an opaque horizontal band normally blocking the passage of light to its associated tonal group, means for selectively moving said plates vertically so as to remove the opaque bands thereof out of light blocking relation with respect to the cell, a vertically movable vertical plate element slidably supported in said support between said diaphragm plates and said cylinder, said plate element being formed with individual identically shaped apertures aligned respectively with the planes of the respective sound tracks, the apertures being arranged in groupings each comprising a plurality of apertures horizontally and vertically spaced in a constant recurring pattern, said groupings also including additional horizontal rows of apertures aligned with the planes of a plurality of sound tracks associated with the respective groupings, and means for releasably locking said vertical plate element in any one of a plurality of predetermined vertically adjusted positions.

3. In an electronic musical instrument of the character described, a supporting frame, a horizontal elongated photoelectric cell secured to said frame, a transparent cylinder rotatably secured to said frame and surrounding said photoelectric cell, means for rotating said cylinder around its axis at constant speed, a plurality of longitudinally spaced groups of circumferential sound tracks carried on the surface of the cylinder, each group comprising individual recordings of a particular tone as played by various instruments, an elongated light source secured to the frame parallel to said cylinder, a plurality of vertical diaphragm plates movably mounted side-by-side between said light source and said cylinder, each plate being aligned with a group of sound tracks, means for selectively moving said plates vertically out of light blocking relation with respect to the cell, and a vertically movable plate element interposed between the light source and the cylinder, said plate element being formed with identically shaped apertures aligned respectiveiy with the respective sound tracks and being arranged in recurrent similar groupings, each grouping comprising a plurality of apertures, wherein the apertures are spaced vertically with respect to each other, each grouping being asso ciated with a particular tonal group of sound tracks.

4. In an electronic musical instrument of the character described, a supporting frame, a horizontal elongated photoelectric cell secured to said frame, a transparent cylinder rotatably secured to said frame and surrounding said photoelectric cell, means for rotating said cylinder around its axis at constant speed, a plurality of longitudinally spaced groups of circumferential sound tracks carried on the surface of the cylinder, each group comprising individual recordings of a particular tone as played by various instruments, an elongated light source secured to the frame parallel to said cylinder, a plurality of vertical diaphragm plates movably mounted side-by-side between said light source and said cylinder, each plate being aligned with a group of sound tracks,

8 means for' selectively moving said plates verti-'- v REFERENCES CITED cally out of light blocking relation with respect to The following references ar e of record in the the cell, and a vertically movable plate element interposed between the light source and the cylme of thls patent inder, said plate element being formed with iden- 5 UNITED STATES P T TS tically shaped apertures aligned respectively with Number Name Date the respective sound tracks and being arranged 1,673,872 Potter July 31, 1928 in recurrent diagonal groupin s, each grouping ,980,292 Potter Nov. 13, 1934 being associated with a particular tonal group of 1,998,461 Kucher Apt 23, 1935 mm tracksw 2,142,391 Fuschi Jan 3,1939

WILLIAM W. PHlLLIPS. 

